This quick and simple, homemade, dairy-free horchata recipe tastes just as good as the real thing, only with much less time and effort! Read on to discover how to nail this creamy, nutty, cinnamon-infused beverage in your own kitchen.
Have you ever had horchata? If you haven’t, you are missing out. This rice-and/or nut-based beverage is wildly popular around the world and is especially popular in Spanish and Latin American countries. It’s ice-cold, delightfully creamy, and wonderfully sweet.
One of my all-time favorite meals in college was a massive carne asada burrito and a huge glass of horchata from my local Mexican spot. And honestly? I’ve been craving that nutty, cinnamon-spiced taste ever since. So, I set out to make my own!
Fair warning: This dairy-free horchata recipe isn’t quite the same as a typical recipe. Traditional Mexican horchata involves blanching almonds, soaking them overnight with rice, and blending it all together with milk and sugar. However, I try to limit my sugar and dairy intake, and I also lack the patience to soak anything overnight. Spot the problem!
So, to make this drink my own, I’ve replaced the milk and sugar with coconut milk and maple syrup.
The blanched almonds have become unsweetened almond milk, and I’ve cooked the rice in coconut milk instead of letting it soak. These might sound like big changes, but the taste remains just as authentic and delicious as the version you get in Mexican restaurants.
My recipe may be far from traditional, but it’s utterly fantastic. And it doesn’t take long to make, either!
Whether you’re digging into a homemade Mexican feast of cheesy potato tacos and corn salsa or you just fancy a super-refreshing drink on a hot day, this dairy-free horchata recipe will knock your socks off. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Dairy Free Horchata
This is all you need to make your own fabulous, vegan, unsweetened horchata in your own kitchen. My recipe is based on a Mexican-style horchata, which traditionally features blanched almonds, sugar, and cinnamon. So, look out for my healthy substitutions!
White Rice: Any long-grain variety will work. Cooking our rice with the coconut milk and cinnamon gives it a subtly sweet and creamy flavor that’s perfect for our sugar free horchata.
Water: To help cook the rice! Coconut milk on its own doesn’t produce enough steam to cook the grains thoroughly.
Light Coconut Milk: My horchata’s secret weapon! Not only is coconut milk a great dairy-free replacement for cow’s milk, but it adds a subtle, nutty flavor that works brilliantly with the cinnamon.
Cinnamon Sticks: Discard these after cooking the rice! Cinnamon stick gently infuses the rice with a subtle, warming spice as it cooks.
Ground Cinnamon: Responsible for the intoxicating cinnamon flavor. Provides a stronger, more direct sweet heat than cinnamon sticks. It helps lower your blood pressure, too!
Unsweetened Almond Milk: A simple, 1-to-1 replacement for the traditional blanched almonds.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Cinnamon and vanilla are a match made in heaven. A hint of pure vanilla extract elevates the warm, cozy flavor to the next level.
Pure Maple Syrup: The perfect natural sweetener. Pure maple syrup has a softer, subtler sweetness than refined sugar, and it complements the cinnamon and vanilla nicely.
Recipe Customizations
- Got a sweet tooth? Simply use a little more maple syrup.Â
- If you can’t find light coconut milk, try diluting full-fat coconut milk with water. It’s the same thing!
- Some people add lime juice or lime zest to horchata. I’ve never tried it, but it’s supposed to be very tasty!
Helpful Tips for Homemade Horchata
- A super-powerful blender is invaluable here. I use my BlendTec Blender, which pulverizes the rice in about a minute. If yours is less powerful, I recommend blending for 2 to 3 minutes to achieve the perfect texture.
- Strain your horchata before serving! I use a sieve, but cheesecloth works great as well. Straining amplifies the drink’s smooth, velvety, creamy texture, which is precisely what we want from horchata.
How to Make Dairy Free Horchata
Place a medium-sized pot over heat, and add the uncooked rice, water, coconut milk, cinnamon sticks, and ground cinnamon.
Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for around 45 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature. Then, discard the cinnamon sticks and pour everything else into a blender.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high for 1 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is perfectly smooth.
Strain your unsweetened horchata through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, then chill in the refrigerator and serve!
When it’s far too hot outside, nothing cools me down like a glass of this dairy free horchata. Did you love it as much as I do? Let me know below in the comments!
Obsessed with this dairy free horchata? Here are five more summertime drinks for you to try!
More Tasty Beverages:
- Watermelon Agua Fresca
- Probiotic Ginger Beer
- Tropical Avocado Cocktails
- Piña Colada Smoothie
- Tropical White Sangria
Dairy Free Horchata Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice or 1 cup cooked
- 1 cup water
- 1 (14-oz) can lite coconut milk
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or to taste
Instructions
- Add the uncooked rice, water, coconut milk, cinnamon sticks, and cinnamon to a medium-sized pot and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow the mixture to cook for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Discard the cinnamon sticks and add the rice mixture to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 1 to 3 minutes until horchata is very smooth.
- Strain horchata through a sieve (fine mesh strainer). Chill in the refrigerator until ready to drink!
Well this was a huge crowd pleaser!
We tripled the recipe and it worked perfectly. I used maple syrup and left out the vanilla (just because I didn’t have any) and it was still UNREAL!
Yaaaay I’m so thrilled to hear it!! Thanks for letting me know! xo
Really excited to try this tonight for the ceremonies. I made it this morning.
We’re planning on putting some coffee ice cubes in it and some bourbon. 🙂
Happy Olympics!
So I stumbled upon this trying to find a recipe for dairy free horchata. My dad is on a dairy-free, sugar-free (as much as possible) diet for pain/ inflammation management. So, so glad I did. I love it with a shot of espresso, so this is something like a cream replacement for his coffee. Used brown rice, left totally unsweetened (made a simple syrup for my mom to add when she inevitable has a glass) and cooked it for a bit longer. Delish! Can’t believe how close it tastes to the real thing.
Yeeees! I’m so happy you like the horchata, Jessica! I was pretty psyched when I learned I could cut down the prep time and still have a tasty bevvie. Thanks so much for the feedback 😀
Uh, YUM! I shall forgive you insisting we do the whole straining part, because gritty horchata is shitty horchata (though I was secretly hoping you’d found a way around even that step, because I’m apparently The Laziest). Definitely liking the sound of this way better than nog for all appropriate holidays. 🙂 Happy New Year! <3
Given my track record of remembering to soak anything the night before I want to cook with it (ahem chickpeas – I’m looking at you)…I LOVE THIS NO-SOAK METHOD. I feel like my beverage selection is about to get way more delicious.
oh man, last time I sipped horchata was in a Mexican restaurant in Seoul, Korea. Time for a timelapse!
I’m obsessed with horchata!! I used to work at a restaurant that used the powder mix to make theirs and I would steal it so I could make it at home! Don’t tell anyone though! I’ve never thought to make my own, but this looks so good and I love that it is vegan!
I have never tried horchata! It does look really creamy and delicious! Love that it is dairy free!
Never entered my head to try and make this. Well the thought and the recipe are both
there now. Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays to you, too, Carol! Let me know if you end up trying out the horchata 😀
Ah I love horchata, but have never tried making it! I’ll have to do so sometime soon 🙂
Hells to the YES!
This looks delicious and easy Julia! Hope you had a wonderful christmas!
Thanks, m’dear, and same to you! xo
Ahhh this looks so good. I love horchata, but never make it because of all the waiting. But I can totally do this! YUM! Hope you had a great Christmas, Julia!
Cook thy rice! 😉 Yeah, I hear yah, it’s a liiiiil’ time consuming, but definitely a fun bevvie. Hope your Xmas was wonderful!